Clearing Storm

While up early, I noticed that the storm was clearing from the mountains and that I might be able to get a great image of the clouds hanging on the cliffs of Red Rock. I grabbed my camera and was out in Red Rock Canyon in ten minutes. I am truly blessed to live so close to the canyon and have the ability to get there in time to make great images before the weather can change. This image, Hanging Clouds and Trees, was taken past Blue Diamond along highway 159. I had just entered Red Rock Canyon and saw this scene unfold before me as I was driving. I had noticed these trees on several trips, but they had always blended into the tan hills behind them. What truly makes this image work is that the hills are in shadow allowing the Cottonwood trees to stand out. Twenty minutes after this image was taken, clouds moved in obscuring the cliffs and it started to rain.